Žalec, 22 March (STA) - The Celje-based dairy Mlekarna Celeia increased its revenue by 2% last year to EUR 61m, while posting a EUR 270,000 loss, as opposed to a EUR 500,000 profit in 2017, the company said on Friday. As director Marjan Jakob explained, the loss is a result of poorer sales of whey on the European market and lower prices of cheese.
The former resulted in revenue dropping by EUR 600,000, and the latter in an additional EUR 900,000 loss of revenue, the head of the cooperative-owned company said at the traditional get-together with major suppliers in Žalec.
The dairy employing 228 workers last year purchased 100 million litres of milk, which is somewhat less than in 2017. Sales in Slovenia were up by 4%, with a record 11% annual growth being recorded in sale of fermented products.
According to Jakob, the biggest problem last year was the shortage of staff, in particular for manual labour in the production segment. The situation has improved somewhat as of the new year, he added.
Last year, Mlekarna Celeia exported 23% of its production to a total of 12 countries, with the largest export markets being Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Germany, Ireland, Austria and France.